Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha

Maui-raised entrepreneur Tiffany Chou tells us about the creation of Depo Market—a mission-driven retail space in Wailuku, Maui, and online, employing adults with disabilities. Our conversation explores Tiffany’s journey as a caregiver, entrepreneur, and disability rights advocate. 

We follow Tiffany and her brother Chris's venture into the jewelry business, starting with their popup shop at the Kea Lani, ...

Meg Obenauf speaks with Autumn Ness, Executive Director of the Lahaina Community Land Trust, about what it takes to rebuild homes, community, culture, and long-term belonging after disaster. Listeners will learn the origin story of the Lahaina Community Land Trust after the Lahaina wildfire, how the Land Trust model keeps housing affordable in perpetuity, and the Land Trust’s innovative housing allocation process that ...

Maui girl Heidi Ho, attorney and founder of Pono Legal, visits us to tell about growing up with her trailblazing mother, Diane Ho, and how it inspired her path in law and advocacy. 

Following the Maui Wildfires, Heidi swiftly formed Pono Legal, a community lawyering nonprofit that extended support to firefighters, police officers, teachers, and many displaced Maui residents. She and her team tackled insura...

Hear from Claudia Rosenbaum, service supervisor at Ka Lima O Maui, a local nonprofit providing job placements and day programs for adults with disabilities. Claudia describes how community members can get services from Ka Lima O Maui via the state Department of Health and the Medicaid waiver program, highlighting how these efforts facilitate personal growth and community integration. From maintaining academic skills to...

Not everyone is blessed with capable, responsible children willing to serve as Trustee :)

What can tutu do if she loves those grandbabies but doesn’t really trust any of them to serve in this very important role? This week’s podcast features the expert guidance of Malia Alexander from Maximum Legal Services Corporation, a company that serves as a professional Trustee, Personal Representative, Power of Atto...

Scott Corderman’s vocation is working as a registered nurse with Kaiser Permanente serving patients in the community that are homebound. His avocation is…the same! Scott is the volunteer chair for the Maui Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. 

In this tactical episode of Taking Care of Tutu, Scott walks us through how health insurance, specifically the Quest program, covers numerous essential services f...

This week on the podcast, we welcome Mo Maurer and Emily Stauffer from Assistance Dogs of Hawaii! Mo and Emily give us a peek into the meticulous process of training service dogs, starting from the selection of purpose-bred puppies throughout their placement with individuals in need. We learn how Assistance Dogs of Hawaii handles 28 puppies at different stages of training and how they collaborate with courthouses, scho...

Jessika Galvez, the heart and soul behind Ohana Care Maui, joins us to share her journey from a Certified Nursing Assistant to the founder of a thriving in-home care agency. Motivated by working in the industry and a client's encouragement, Jessika launched her company in 2014, focusing on compassionate, high-quality care for Maui's seniors. She discusses her passion for caregiving as well as the challenges and triumph...

Join us as we sit down with neuropsychologist Dr. Thomas Harding, Clinical Director of the Maui Memory Clinic. Dr. Harding offers insights into the range of cognitive issues that can arise with age, from subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, emphasizing the critical nature of early identification. Discover the strategies for managing MCI, whether vascular or Alzheimer’s-...

Mary Lester, our guest and the vice president of Ho'okele Home Care, tells us about the Vivia program, in which clients receive task-based services without the traditional four-hour daily minimum. Mary explains how such task-based services can revolutionize home care by catering to specific needs like medication management or shower assistance, making it a cost-effective solution for families..

We explore ...

Tanya Barbero, outreach coordinator at Hospice Maui, joins us to share her profound journey of over four decades in healthcare. Following her own rare bone cancer diagnosis, Tanya found her true calling in hospice care, where she advocates for embracing a "good death." Her story offers a touching perspective on how personal experiences can transform our approach to life and death, shedding light on the importance of co...

Richard McDonald, a formidable advocate for veterans on Maui, joins us to share the work he has done as a rehabilitation counselor for returning veterans. Richard documented their needs and advocated for the creation of a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. The CBOC was built in 1988, transforming the landscape of veteran care on Maui. Richard passionately discusses the power of group counseling in combating isolation a...

We’re delighted to chat with Margie Albete and Zaira Katsuda from Hale Makua Health Services. With Margie’s amazing 41 years of experience in financial counseling and admissions, paired with Zaira's expertise on the nursing side, we explore the meticulous process of ensuring potential residents meet both clinical and financial qualifications. Their guidance will equip you to confidently manage the admissions process an...

Linden Joesting and Bo Mahoe join us this week to tell us about the legacy of the Nisei Veterans, whose valor during World War II influenced Hawaii and continues to inspire today. Bo, a Vietnam veteran, shares his personal journey from draftee to dedicated advocate for veterans' rights across Hawaii. Linden became an attorney in private practice and then served with the United States Coast Guard for seven years. She ha...

We’re keeping our November Veteran’s Month going by welcoming Scott Fisher, a Marine Corps veteran, historian, and dedicated Maui community member to the podcast! Scott shares his personal experiences as a marine deployed at Guantanamo Bay, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Okinawa, then describes his oral history project collecting stories from Maui WWII veterans and their families.  Scott provides a deep and multifaceted per...

This week on the Taking Care of Tutu Podcast, we are delighted to welcome Chelsea Fernandez, U.S. Army Veteran and tireless volunteer for veterans.  Born on the Big Island, Chelsea moved to Maui after she returned from Iraq in 2005. Recognizing that many younger veterans—especially those from recent conflicts—weren’t aware of the resources available to them through the VA and other community organizations, Chelsea felt...

This week we welcome Pastor Bill Staton, a retired veteran and veterans’ services counselor on Maui, to the podcast. Originally, Bill’s job was helping veterans navigate the complex systems of veterans’ financial benefits. However, Bill quickly realized the need to advocate for the holistic needs of veterans returning from conflicts and their families. 

What happens if tutu loses the capacity to make her own decisions? Who can make those decisions for her? In this solo episode of the Taking Care of Tutu podcast, we review what happens if tutu has not made prior legal arrangements, such as a power of attorney or an advance health-care directive. 

This week on the Taking Care of Tutu podcast we’re happy to have Kathleen Couch, program coordinator & caregiver at Maui Adult Day Care Centers. We’ll learn about the four locations for Maui Adult Day Care Centers, how they differ, and the services provided. Kathleen shares her 20 years of experience working with seniors to teach us how to enhance communication with loved ones experiencing Alzheimer's or dementia, and ...